The Bluffton news. [volume], January 12, 1939, Image 3

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THURSDAY, JAN. 12, 1939
ALLEN COUNTY
First Robin Seen In
Spencerville
The honors for seeing the first
robin in Spencei-ville for the year
1939, go to Chas, Gaskill, Peck
Sheets and Robert Sunderland.
The red breasted songster was
seen in the A, A. Hampshire lawn,
North Elizabeth street, Spencerville,
Tuesday morning about 8 o’clock.
Grandchild For Every
Month
The thing that Walter G. Mauk,
60, wants most in. 1939, he says, is
a grandchild born in February.
Mauk now has 11 grandchildren,
ranging in age from one to 10 years
and born in every month of the year
except February.
Proof That Women
Worry More About
Weight
Allen-co commissioners are con
vinced that women are more vain
than men.
A count of pennies taken from
scales in the men’s and women’s com
fort stations in the courthouse since
last Aug. 30 reveals that 1,317 mem
bers of the fair sex were anxious
about their weight, as compared with
only 475 men.
Gives $30,000 More For
Lima Park
An additional $30,000 gift for de
velopment, beautification and per
petuation of Schoonover park by
Thomas R. Schoonover was announc
ed Tuesday evening at a special
meeting of council.
The new gesture boosts Schoon
over’s contributions toward the park,
which has been named in his honor,
past the $150,000 mark since he do
nated the recreation grounds to the
city in October, 1937.
Sawing Limb Fatal To
Aged Man
Frank McCoy, 67, farmer south
east of Delphos, near Scott’s Cross
ing, was killed when he fell and
broke his neck W’hile saw’ing a limb
from a tree in the yard at his home.
McCoy was said to have apparent
ly fallen when the ladder on which
he was standing slipped and his foot
caught in it as he plunged to the
ground. The body was found when
neighbors investigated when he did
not show up for lunch.
Lima Finance Co.
Expands
Harry L. Solomon, vice president
of the Colonial Finance Co., an
nounced last week a $250,000 deal
which brought to his company the as
sets of the Franklin Finance Co. of
Mansfield, bringing to 38 the num
ber of offices which the company has
in seven states. Leroy Hamilton,
former Lima banker, was secretary
of the Mansfield company 16 years.
Mr. Solomon also revealed plans
for opening branches in Bellevue,
Lorain, Tiffin and Bellefontaine.
Ban Slot Machines In
Spencerville
All punch-boards and slot mach
ines have been ruled out of places of
business in Spencerville by Mayor J.
Smith How’e.
Prison Break Foiled
at Lima
A prisoner in Lima city prison who
attempted to escape by prying his
cell window bars with a sash weight
was identified last week as Harley
Baker, alias Harley Baum, who fled
from the London prison farm where
he was serving a term for forgery
last September.
Police said the identification was
made through fingerprints sent to
the penal institution for a check-up.
Thirsty Thief Takes 40
Gallons of Cider
Police said they don’t know how
long it takes for cider to “get hard”
and as usually authoritative sources
on this moot subject were not avail
able for consultation, the question as
to when authorities may look for a
hig y inebriated gentleman was
Sdmewhat vague Thursday.
The problem came about with the
reported theft of 40 gallons of the
tasty sweet fluid from the Walter
Harrod home, in Lima.
May Abandon Canal
In Delphos
Plans for the abandonment of the
Miami-Erie canal in the city of Del­
NEWS NOTES FROM FOUR COUNTIES
phos from the Pennsylvania railroad
to a point just north of U. S. Route
30 north have been drafted and prob
ably will become a reality if the pro
posal meets with federal approval,
it was announced Wednesday by
Charles Ash, acting engineer of the
Lima division of the state highway
department.
The proposed improvement would
mark the first step in plans for a
super-highway between Toledo and
Cincinnati. Until the super highway
actually is under construction, Del
phos would probably use the graded
area as a parking space which would
tend to relieve congested traffic con
ditions along Main street.
Gomer Quartet Sings
For Bricker
The Gomer Republican quartet
sang at the Bricker inaugural break
fast in Columbus Monday.
The breakfast was held in the
Deshler-Wallick hotel starting at 11
a. m. Due to limited facilities, only
state central and executive committee
chairmen and chairwomen attended
this event.
Firemen Find Fire, But
Leave It Burning
The unusual spectacle of firemen
answering an alarm and leaving the
fire burning was the experience of
Fire Chief Louis Leonard when he
answered a call from the home of
Nathaniel Hemker, in Delphos,
Thursday.
A voice over the telephone re
ported that the speaker could find no
sign of fire yet the residence was
filling with smoke. Leonard and
Police Chief responded with the
police car and the fire fighters soon
located the trouble and explained
why the smoke entered the home.
They discovered a hole in the flue
and the strong wind was blowing the
smoke into the interior instead of
letting it out the flue. The officers
left instructions to allow the fire to
die down and have the flue repaired.
Pay Cuts Are Restored
Restoration of a 10 per cent pay
cut to salaried employes of the West
inghouse Electric and Manufactur
ing Co. was announced Friday by
President George H. Bucher.
Approximately 65 salaried workers
at the Lima plant whose base pay
was $125 or less last May 31 will
receive the benefit of the pay restora
tion. They accepted a 10 per cent
cut last June 1 because of adverse
business conditions.
To Make Hospital
Stronger
With police throughout the middle
west still searching last week for
four dangerous maniacs who slugged
their way to freedom from the Lima
State hospital about one and one
half weeks ago Dr. H. M. Turk,
Superintendent, indicated that he will
recommend minor changes in cell
construction to make further escapes
from the institute more difficult.
“The building was erected for use
as a hospital, not as a prison,” Dr.
Turk declared.
Scarlet Fever Delays
School Opening
Postponement of the reopening of
the Shawnee schools for another
week because of the prevalence of
scarlet fever in the district, was
announced Saturday by the Shawnee
board of education.
The board met Friday night to
hear a report that 16 families involv
ing 24 cases, are under quarantine.
Opening was set for Jan. 16.
Effinger Pleads Not
Guilty
Virgil Effinger, reputed former
head of the notorious Black Legion,
pleaded not guilty last week to
charges of criminal syndicalism and
to illegal possession of explosives.
Effinger, appearing unconcerned as
he went progressively before two
common pleas court judges who will
hear his cases, will be examined on
the explosives charge Jan. 16 and
then answer to the accusation of
criminal syndicalism guilt on the
following day. Bond in each court
was set at $500.
Kuhli Becomes High
way Engineer
First of a long parade of Republi
cans who will displace Democratic
officials hereabout for the next two
years is Orlando C. Kohli, 36, who
Monday became chief engineer of
Lima Division No. 1 of the state
highway department.
While nothing definite has been
forthcoming from the Republican
high command to indicate what ac
tion, if any, will be taken to replace
Democratic job-holders with Repub
licans, it is accepted as a foregone
conclusion that there will be a gen
eral house-cleaning.
Lima May Get Baseball
Team
Lima will have a baseball team in
the Ohio State league this year if a
playing field can be obtained.
This much was a certainty Friday,
following an informal investigation
Thursday afternoon and night of
possible sites for a diamond, made
by Henry Rigney and M. V. DiSalle,
representing a Toledo corporation.
HANCOCK COUNTY
Industrial Employment
Good In Findlay
Industrial employment in Findlay in
December, 1938, reached the highest
level since December, 1930 and stood
at 85 per cent of the 1929 level, ac
cording to a bulletin of the Findlay
Chamber of Commerce which was
to members Wednesday evening.
Garter Snake Out
Early, Fooled By
Weather
Art Bowsworth, of Findlay, found
a garter snake in his yard last week,
which he says is defiinitely a sign of
spring. In the past couple of days
of spring-like weather a number of
persons say they have heard the calls
of spring birds in neighboring trees.
Gets Top Price For
Lambs
Kelly A. McClellan, of Union town
ship, sold 35 pure-bred Delaine lambs
last week that commanded the highest
prices at Buffalo, where he had sent
them by truck. These lambs sold for
10 cents per pound. They had been
on pasture all summer, received nour
ishment from the ewes as long as they
cared to do so and the sale was near
ly all clear profit.
Beer Tax Funds
Distributed
Hancock county shared among the
15 counties to which State Auditor
Joseph T. Ferguson, Thursday dis
tributed $119,472 in November beer
and adimission taxes and December
general sales tax.
This county received $3,733 in sales
tax and $1,293 in beer and admission
tax.
Expect 60 New Homes
In Findlay
Real estate activity took a bound
upward in Findlay last week with an
nouncemnt of the sale of the Frey
Block, long a Findlay landmark, and
prediction that at least 60 new homes
may be built this year in the new
Fairlawn subdivision in south Findlay.
Sale of 60 lots in the subdivision was
announced.
Charles E. Fleming, real estate op
erator, purchased the Frey Block from
Florence Frey Stricker for an indicat
ed price of $30,000.
Rescue Three Tots
From Burning
Home
Three young Findlay children owe
their lives to the alertness of Sonny
Iliff, 23-year-old milk deliverman, who
saw the roof of their home blazing in
the morning one day last week, as he
was covering his route.
After summoning firemen, he with
several employes of the nearby Coop
er Corp., ran to the home and rescued
the tots from their smokefilled bed
room just as the ceiling plaster fell
on the already smouldering bed.
New Teacher Named
At Mt. Cory
Miss Lillian Hards, of Marion town
ship, has been employed by the Mt.
Cory school board to fill the position
made vacant by the resignation of
Mrs. Meredith Montgomery Eddinger.
Mrs. Eddinger resigned before the
Christmas recess and was married
during the holidays. She had been a
teacher at Mt. Cory for the past four
years.
County Commissioners
Organize
The Hancock county commissioners
last week reelected George Wisely, of
Biglick township, board president.
Other commissionrs are Lloyd Ben
nett, of Jackson township, new’ mem
ber elected last November, and Geo.
Cornwell, of Allen township.
Pheasants Really
Like Corn
Observing farmers say that the
damage by pheasants to the com crop
is done largely in spring when the
birds pull up the small plants to get
THE IIX'FFTON NEWS, BLUFFTON OHIO
the grain from the roots. The grain
they eat in autumn is of small con
sequence. Much shelled com falls to
the ground from the corn harvester
and this is enough feed for 'he birds.
But when a stalk is pulled up in the
spring a potential ear of gran is lost.
Pheasants have a relish for corn and
an appetite that is hard to gratify.
Jerome Herman estimates that a
pheasant will pull up enough com
plants at a single meal to produce two
bu sheds of com. And when a brood
of young birds comprising a dozen
march across a comfild on a foraging
expedition it means a loss to the com
crop of no small proportion,
Findlay Police Have
Busy Year
The 15-man Findlay police force
spent a busy year during 1938, arrest
ing a total of 1,491 persons, according
to the annual report released today
by Chief of Police leo M. Larkins.
The 1938 figue set an all-time rec
ord for the local department and was
considerably higher than the 1937 tot
al which was 1,204. Of the total
arrested last year, 1,132 w’ere males
and 59 fmales.
One of Maniacs Ate
In Findlay
A photograph of on of th five mani
acs who gained freedom from the
Lima State Hospital a week ago Sun
day morning in a sensational escape
plot and who later was captured in
Cleveland, was identified at police
headquarters in Findlay last week as
the person who obtained a dinner
Monday in a home near Findlay.
Name Clerk At High
way Barracks
Hancock county Republicans, learn
ing that they had a chance to appoint
a clerk for the state highway patrol
barracks last night, decided on Fer
mon Etheridge, Findlay. The job
carries a monthly salary of $100.
Findlay Man Draws
Heavy Fine
Robert George, Findlay, w’as fined
$350 and costs in common pleas
court in Wauseon by Judge Fred H.
Wolfe after pleading guilty to two
indictments charging him with pro
moting gambling devices in Fulton
county.
George also was sentenced to two
90-day jail terms which were sus
pended on condition he stay out of
the county with gambling devices.
This w’as the second hearing fol
lowing the grand jury’s return of
30 secret indictments against slot
machine and punch board promoters
and operators in the county.
HARDIN COUNTY
County-Wide Immuni
zation Started
All children of the Hardin county
school system will be immunized
•f e
fl
against diphtheria, according to pres
ent plans of Dr. .F. Holtzmuller,
Hardin county health commissioner.
At McGuffey, 326 school children al
ready have been given immunization
following the death of a seven-year
old pupil as a result of the disease.
Stambaugh’s Buy 640
Acre Tract
John F. Stambaugh, and Asso
ciates of Ada have purchased 640
acres of land in the Willard marsh
at a reported price of $12,000. The
tract is in Richland township in the
southwest part of Huron county.
Stambaugh indicated he plans to use
about half of the acreage for pota
toes. His Hardin county potato land
will have other crops this year.
Hardin’s State Em
ployes Lose Posts
Among the 64 employes of the
state treasurer’s office w’ho will lose
their jobs, when Treasurer Clarence
H. Knisely retires from office, will
be Lester McDaniel, of Forest, Har
din county, who has been cashier at
a salary of $4,500 per year.
Others from the district w’ho will
lose their jobs are Inex Cooney and
Jennie Slater, both of Kenton, and
Edwin L. King, of Lima.
One Seriously Hurt
In Auto Crash
Attaches this wreek held little hope
for recovery of Ollie Offenburger,
55, of LaRue, w’ho suffered a frac
tured skulll, broken leg and frac
ture of the pelvic bone in a collision
near Kenton with another automobile
driven by Robert L. Nicholas of
Columbus.
County Grange Band
Organized
The first county grange band ever
organized in Hardin county was
formed last week during a meeting
held at Washington grange hall,
south of Dola.
The new organization, w'hich is
to include members of all granges
of Hardin county, will meet for re
hearsal once a week in various
grange halls.
$1,700 Fine For Game
Violation
One of the heaviest fines ever re
ported by the state conservation de
partment for violation of game laws
was paid in Kenton by C. C. Mor
gan, 40, of Dayton, when he was
fined $1,700 by Justice of the Peace
Harry Steffen.
Morgan was charged with illegally
having in his possession 14 pheas
ants andn five quail. He was fined
$200 for each quail and $50 for
each pheasant but suspensions were
made of $130 on each quail and $25
on each pleasant. The total actu
ally paid, in addition to the costs
was $700, deducting suspensions
made by Justice Steffen.
Alfred Scribner, also of Dayton,
and arrested on the same charge on
December 21, is serving out a $200
fine imposed by Justice Steffen
shortly after his arrest.
Hardin Ballots Cost
57 Cents Each
Each vote cast in the four elec
tions held in Hardin county during
1938 cost approximately 57 cents, ac
cording to figures released by Claude
Osbun, clerk of the Hardin county
board of elections. With a total of
14,091 votes cast during the year,
the entire expenditure for the four
ballotings came to $8,693.24, he said.
The elections included the regular
general election Nov. 8, the primary
election Aug. 8, the special election
for a 3-mill special tax levy for the
city of Kenton Feb .1, and the spe
cial election Sept. 30 when voters of
the Hardin Central school district
passed on a bond issue for the con
struction of a new elementary school
in Kenton.
PUTNAM COUNTY
$2,500 Suit Follows
Unique Crash
A Columbus Grove youth who last
summer purchased an auto for $25
and drove it less than 200 feet into
the path of a Baltimore and Ohio
railroad passenger train, last week
sued the carrier for $2,500 personal
injury damages.
WEST OHIO GAS COMPANY
Thomas Oard brought the action
in common pleas court in Ottawa,
following the crash June 14, .1938,
in which his newly-acquired vehicle
was reduced to junk. Oard and a
portion of the car’s wreckage were
carried on front of the locomotive
from the Third street to the Fourth
street crossing along the railroad’s
Ottawa passenger platform.
Highway To Follow^
Old Railroad Route
The State Highway Department
has started two land easement con
demnation proceedings against H. A.
Gable and the Susan DeVoe heirs
to clear title to real estate for the
proposed new right-of-way of U. S.
Route 224.
Contract for building a new road
over the bed of the former Findlay
Ft Wayne Rairoad from near Gilboa
to the Hancock County line has been
awarded to Ralph Heffner, Celina,
for $191,000.
Corn Loans Continue
Until March 31
The final date for filing applica
tions under the government’s corn
loan program has been set for March
31, August Vfciuiukotter, Putnam
county commodity loan inspector,
said last week.
Farmers who are in compliance
with the corn allotment for their
respective acreage will be eligible
to borrow on ear corn stored in
farm cribs. Loans are made at
maximum rate on number three corn
Never before in our history have we
to offer so much gas range value.
Magic Chef has every convenient
ing and time-saving feature you have ever
dreamed of ... a new super-duty top burner
that cooks with lightning speed insulated
oven that produces perfect baking like magic
a broiler that broils without a wisp of
smoke and so many others that w’e haven't
the space to tell you about them. Stop in and
look over this magnificent new Magic Chef
"The Hit of 1939.”
PAGE THREE
which does not contain more than
15.5 per cent moisture.
5,838 Certificates Of
Title Filed
There were 5,838 auto certificates
of title issued in Putnam county
during 1938, Clerk of Courts W. L.
Smith said in his annual report.
The certificate of title division of
Smith’s office showed revenue of $3,
383.90 of w’hich the state registrar
of motor vehicles was given $1,
699.44 under terms of the law.
The remaining $2,103.31 was paid
into the county treasury.
Changes Made In CCC
Requirements
Applications for CCC enrollment
under a quota of nine youths are
to be accepted from this county on
February 4, as was stated by Mrs.
Bonnie Corns, Putnam county wel
fare case supervisor.
According to changes in CCC
rules, an enrollee is required to send
only $22 of his monthly earnings
home for support of his family. Be
fore a member was required to send
$25. Each enrollee earns a dollar
a day, plus all necessary food and
medical care, Young men from 17
to 25 years of age are accepted.
Drops Dead While
Sawing Wood
Services were conducted Thursday
at his home in Miller City for An
drew Schmiedebusch, 57, a farm la
borer who dropped dead Monday
afternoon while manning one end of
a cross-cut saw in the woods of Leo
Steffen, near Leipsic.
Steffen, who was working with
Schmcidebusch said the man slumped
over about 5 p. m. Monday before
Steffen could reach his assistant, he
was dead.
Thieves Lead Officers
Merry Chase
Wreckage of a stolen automobile
near the southern limits of Ottawa
in Route 65 started law enforcement
officials of Defiance, Henry and Put
nam counties on a literal merry-go
round last week.
Sheriff Arnold Potts found the car,
property of Walter Babcock, Route
5, Napoleon, smashed against a
safety fence at a D. T. & I. railroad
grade crossing. Wire and rustless
bolts on a license plate indicated to
Sheriff Potts it had been recently
placed on the vehicle.
The plate was issued to Everett
Linaberry, Route 8, Defiance.
The Defiance sheriff visited Lina
berry’s home and much to amaze
ment of the owner, another set of
plates were found on his car. The
(Continued on page 6)
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